Pile driver



April 1933- J. H. THORNLEY 1,905,528

FILE DRIVER Filed Nov. 15, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l ITnfe 11W 1m 1085 x z/jzmg 4 /l0w W W rimj April 15933- J. H. THORNLEY 1,905,528

FILE DRIVER Filed Nov. 13, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITnfe nfir L/ OSQ Z [Z0772]? M, M

April 1933- J. H. 'THORNLEY 1,905,528

FILE DRIVER Filed Nov. 13, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 25, 1933 PATENT orator.

JOSEPH H. THORNLEY, 0F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS PILE DRIVER,

Application filed November 13, 1929. Serial No, 406,759.

ations such as drilling wells, mechanically digging foundation holes, etc. For example, in my above mentioned copending application I have shown a derrick structure which isused to operate a mechanical digging device and a'dr'illing bit for sinking foundation holes.

y The specific derrick structure therein disclosed is in reality a pile driver with certain auxiliary devices mounted thereon, but it illustrates that the invention can be embodied in movable derrick structures for digging or drilling wells andlike work. 7 However, for brevity of description I shall hereinafter refer to the structure as a pile driver.

One of the fundamental objects of the invention is to increase the facility with which the structure can be maneuvered to bring the derrick over different points of operation on the ground. In the construction of foundations, piers and'the like requiring the driving of a large number of piles 'or involving successive operations of driving different parts of composite piles," removing cores and casings, etc, it is usually necessary to shift tl e pile driver frequently in a short space oftime. The ease andrapidity with which the structure can be maneuvered becomes an item of considerable importance in determining the vcost of the particular job.

For example, in shifting. from one point on the site to another the concrete gang 'or other part of the crew'is frequently idle, or if the shifting is particularly laborious it may be necessary to draw men from other work-to a'ssistin the operation. Hence, it has been one of my objects to providean improved V pile driver and method of movingthe'latter which will greatly reduce the time andlabor heretofore involved in shifting one of. these structures. I

In this regard, one of the features of the invention resides in increasing the number of directions in which the structure can. be

moved. For example, in most'prior pile drivers which were moved-on rollers ,WhlOh replaced ahead of the driver in the direction of travel it waspractically impossible to move the device sidewise except by 'causing it to travel diagonally in one direction on these rollers and then move diagonally in the other direction until the device had been shifted laterally to the desired degree. According to the present invention the structure can be moved sidewise, endwise or dia are picked up at the rear of the driver and onally on the ground sills, skid timbers or such other means as afiords' the working surface on which the pile driver operates;

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improved pile driver structure characterized by the bed of the pile driver being movably mounted on a pair of rails, which rails constitute a part of the entire movable unit which can be thus moved sidewise, endwise or diagonally as above stated. The invention also embodies improved methods of moving the bed along the on the ground sills. In addition to these movements of the pile driverbed relatively to the rails, and of the rails relatively to the ground sills,the platform on Wliichthe derrick structure is supported can be revolved about a turntable mounting on the bed. v The invention greatly increases the mobility f of the structure so that it canbe movedinto corners and other cramped locations on the site which were very difficult of access with the prior structures and methods ofmoving the same. Moreover, a flexibility of operation is afforded which practically avoid's'the possibility ofone of the skid timbers or one of the rails of the pile driver blocking off a spoton which it is desired to drive a pile.

Another object of the invention is to proingthe sheave vide an improved construction of pile driver which will be capable of exerting practically unlimited hoisting effort without danger of tipping over the pile driver. In pulling cores and casings out of the ground it is frequently necessary to exert a great hoisting pulldownwardly from the derrick leads and owingtothe considerable overhang of these derrick leads beyound the turntable mounting of the platform on the bed there is cre' ated a considerable force tending to tip the driver. The present construction is interlocked to the two rails on which the driver travels, and thus in'the normal use of the structure such hoisting pull cannot possibly tipfthe driver. I I, 1

,Other objects concerned withthe, manner o'f fextendingthe -tack-le rigging vfrom the winding drums on the platform to the skid timbers, rails and bed of thedriver, and concerned with other structural features ofthe device, will be hereinafterpointed out in the following descripjtionof a preferred manner of 1, practicing my invention. Inthe accompanying drawings illustrating the same:

I Fig. 1 i is; afraginentary side elevational view o f the machine, H

Fig.2 is a. l nview of thesa'me'with part of the derrick or tower shown in. section, this figure also: illustrating in dottefd', lines one; step of mo ing. the sidewis'el ig.. 3 is 1 a 7 detail sectional View taken approximately onthe plane ofthe line'3 3 of Fig. 1 illustrating one mounting, ofthe bed of the. machine on its attached track rails.

Fig. 4; is a similar view illustrating'another mountingof the machine bedxon these rails.

,Fig. ,5 is; a vertical sectional view through "the-turntable axis of another embodimentof the :invention, illustrating the manner in which the cables formaneuvering the unit are extended down through the bedof the machine. .5 .1

Fig. 6 is aplan View showing how the cables are extended throughithe'upper plat- F ig; 7 is afragme'ntary view of the end of onejof therailson which thebed moves, showbloc'k mounted on such rail,

and: V I l V igure8; is a diagrammatic plan View of the machine, illustrating one arrangement of the @cable connections for effecting a'shifting of. the bed along the rails, or for effecting the shifting of the rails longitudinally under the bed and'relativ'e tot-he ground sills V.

,Figure Qis a similar view illustrating'one arrangement of the cable connections for effectinga movement of both the bed and rails laterally across the ground sills Figu-rfeQlO is a similar view illustrating one arrangement of the cable connections and the relation; of, a" cooperating reaction point for elfecting movement of the bed and rails to a diagonal position or laterally across the ground sills; and

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 7 mounting on a lower frame or bed 22, which in turn has roller supporton two parallel rails 23, such rails constituting attached partsof the movable unit. As shown in Fig. 2, the entire unit is supported on heavy ground sills or timbers24d, 24b, 24c, etc.,"1aid onthe ground at spaced points, such timbers serving as skidways on which the two rails 23, 23 can be slid either laterallyfor longitudinally. Referring to Fig. 3, each of the skid timber isffscabbed or faced on its upper side with a plank 24 of oak whicliis nailed there'- to and which has its upper surface coated with grease. The two parallel rails 23 extend transversely of the skid timbersso as to, be supportedthereon, such rails being preferably constructed as'heavy H-beam sections (Fig. 3), a lthough theserails i ht also be constructed of heavy timbers". The undersides of these rails are H likewise scabbed or faced with sections of oakplanking 23 which are suitably secured thereto and which are also greased. v Thetrans'verse.

sliding motion of the two r'ails23, 23 across the ground sills affords a lateraladju'stment of the machine. As an alternative arrangement, the ground sills 24a, 24b and 2410 may also consistof I-beams or H -beams with. the

metallic upper surfaces thereof. contacting directly with the metallic lower sur'facesof the rails 23, both of these contacting surfaces being greased.

One of the ranging the bed or frame to move lengthwise of the rails .23, preferably rolling on sets of rollers 25 disposed at each end of'the frame and bearing on the upper flanges 26 of the rails. These rollers are boxed'in be tween pairs of Z-shaped bars 27 which are bolted to the under side of the frame. The

longitudinal adjusting movements of the machine is obtained by a'revident that if the bed is freeto move a winding tension exerted through these oableswill cause the same tomove along the rails.

As before described, owing to the fact that the Z-bars 27 hook under the flanges 28 of the rails, there is no possibility ofthe bed tipping downwardly or forwardly at the front end relative to the rails. Thus any tendency for the tower 17 and platform 16 to tip forwardly under the stress of a heavy hoisting load wouldalso require the tipping of the rails 23, which obviously would be impossible with the rails extending forward- .ly beyond the end of the machine and-having a point of support beyond the vertical line of the tipping load. There is little tendency to cause the tower and platform to tip laterally, but any suchtipping tendency is resisted by the weight of one of the rails.

23 which is very heavy and which would have to be lifted in such lateral tipping of the machine. Thus, stability of the relative- -ly high tower or derrick 17 is assured at all times, even under the relatively heavy loads imposed in the operations of driving piles, lowering structural steel columns, pulling casing sections and piles, etc.,

- The pivotal turntable movement of the platform 16 relative to the bed 22 also enables the tower to be swung to either side or to the oppositeend of the bed. This enables pile driving, digging and drilling operations to be carried on at either side of the machine or .at either end thereof, which is of advantage forworking'into and out; of corners and up intoclose proximity to other structures.- The several adjustments and movements. just described produce a machine having great mobility for maneuvering quickly to different points on the site. The machine can be easily dismantled for transporting fromone building location or zone of operations'to another.

The tower, whichcan be readily knocked down and reerected, comprisesin the main two vertical Ibeams 17 forming the open front of the tower and serving as guide leads between which the pile driving, drilling and hoisting operations are supported and guided.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified construction generally similar to Fig. 3 except that the rollers 25 are .omitted and the bed 22 slides directly on the, upper flange 26 of each rail 23. The bed is interlocked against tipping relativelyto each rail by plates 42 which are secured to the underside of the bed and which have offset portions 42 engaging under the.

flanges 26 of the beam or rail 23.

These .plate members are preferably securedto the bed adjacent to the front and rear ends thereof, andmay also be secured to the interaxis of the platform and through which guide means the cable or cables can be extended down under thebed. for leading to their points of hitch on the rails 23 onto stationary points of anchorage. This guideme'ans comprises a, central vertical-passageway-.44 in the platform 16 and a passageway 44in the bed.22,-aligning with the passageway .44. These passageways or openings are have turntable support on the bed by: the

arrangement of rollers 29 and rails 8l and 32 describe'dof Fig, 1, or the main weight may be borne on inner main bearing surfaces 45 and a6, with the outer rails or surfaces 31 and 32 serving primarily to maintain stability. The upper end of the king bolt 33 is secured to .a bracket structure 4:? which is fastened to the platform 16 and the lower end of said bolt is securedto a plate or bracket structure 48 secured in turn to the bed 22, but spaced downwardly from the bottomthereof to provide clearance for two lower sheaves 49. Each of these is supported between spaced arms 51 extending fromsleeve brackets 52uwhich are swiveled on the king bolt 33 so that the sheaves can swivel to.

practically any horizontal position about the axis of the king bolt. j i

A shoulder or collar 53 on: theking bolt prevents the sleeve portions .52 of these swiveling brackets from moving upwardly along bolt 33 and with the grooves of said sheayes; .extending in a direction to lead the cables,

designated 56, to the winding drums or winches 19, of whichthere are preferably two, one for each cable. By virtue of this arrangement of the upper andlower sheaves.

with the cables extending downwardly on opposite sides of the king bolt 33, the cables will always be maintained in spaced relation to each other and hence will not chafe and wear each other such as would be the case if;

the cables were allowed to contact. It will be noted that thisspaced relation is maintained no matter how far the turn table or platform 16 is rotatedin either direction, the

cables merely .wrapping' around the king bolt, in spaced relation. Similarly in the horizontal swiveling movement of the lower sheaves49 the cables will remain 1n spaced relation, such horizontal swiveling move ment maintaining each individual sheave in the direct line of the pull exerted through its cable irrespective of thefpoint of attachment of the outer end of this cable. The king bolt 33' connects the platform and bed together so that any tipping tendency efcable 56 through the diagonally opposite,

fective on the platform is transmitted-to the bed which, as previously described, is posi: tively held against tipping by its engage ment with the upper flanges of the beams or rails 23.

As best shown in Fig. sheaves Glare mounted at both ends of each rail-'23 around which the cables 56 can bereeved when it is.

desired to effect relative sliding movement between-said rails and the bed 22 of the den. rick structure. There are preferably two of,

these sheaves at each end of'the rail for multiple reeving, both sheaves being pivoted on a pin 62 mounted between therto'p of the rail and an angle bracket 63. Also secured to the bed 22 atopposite ends thereof, and preferably directly above the rails 23, are sheaves 65. Either one or two ofthesesheaves may be mounted in a bracket 66 which is secured.

to the end of the 'bed.= A suitable eye or anchoring hook 68 is secured to the outer end of each beam rail 23 and anysimilar eye or anchoring hook 69 is secured ateach corner of the bed 22 in proximity to the adjacent sheave block65. These eyes or hooks afiord anchoringpoints for the dead ends of the cables in certain shifting operations, which I shall now describe;

With reference to Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 illustrating these shifting operations, I have designated one rail 23 anditsassociated set of sheaves as 61 and 65, to distinguish from the other rail and. its associated set. of sheaves. Fig. 8 illustrates one arrange I ment ofcable reeving for effecting a relative endwise movement between the bed 22 and the rails 23, 23'. 1

One of the cables 56 is generally extended from under the bed outwardly to one end of one rail and the other cable 56 is extended from under the bed in the opposite direction to the opposite end of the other rail. While these cables might be hooked directly tothe eyes 68 and 68 at these ends of the rails, it is preferable to obtain the added'mechanical advantage available by reeving the cable 56' back and forth one or more times through the companion sheave blocks 61 and 65, and by a similar multiple reeving of the other companion pair of sheave blocks 61 and 65. The cables may be dead ended either at the outer ends of the rails or at the corresponding cornersv of the bed 22. If it is desired to move:

chored in fixed relation, as by inserting chock blocks indicated in dotted lines at 71 between" one end of the bed andany fixed point, such I as against one of the ground sills. For ex-' ample if it is desired to'slide the rails 23, 23' to the right (Fig. 8), the one ormore chock blocks 71 are inserted between the .left hand end of the bed and one of the ground sills, as,

245, or the bed is otherwise held against movement toward the left. Thereupon, the cable 56 is wound in toslide the rail 23 to'the right under the bed. Preferably, only one: rail is slid at a time, the other rail then serving as an anchor guide for preventing slewing of the, I

After therail 23 .has been slid to the right as far as. desired the left band structure.

end of the other rail 23 is reeved up with a cable for sliding this rail to the right. The.

same cable 56 may be transposed to the pulleys 61 and 65 associated with this rail in the same relation as described in connection with the rail 28', or the other cable 56 imay be reeved through these sheavesv 61 and .65. In.

eithercase, tension exerted on such cable ,will

cause the rail 23 to be slidunder the bed .to the right. At this time the other rail'23'; is serving as an anchor guide. While I have described the separate sliding of the-rails.

as being the preferred practice in most instances, it will be noted that the; provision of the two-cables 56 and 56' and theiability of i the two lower pulleys 49,49 to swivel toany position under thebed permits the two cables to be both extended to the lefthand endsof the two rails for conjoint sliding movement of both rails. Sliding movement: of the rails in the opposite direction'is-elfectedby block-o ing the other end of the bed and-extending one or both cables to the opposite ends of the rails, as willbe obvious from the foregoing.

The sliding movement of the rails can be continued indefinitely over :successively laid ground sills 24a, .24?) etc. by progressively moving the bed as the ends of'the rails are.

brought up into proximity V thereto. The forego ng is also true of the construction and arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1' and 2, as

previously described.

Fig. 9 illustrates one method of moving the bed and rails laterally across the ground sills 24a, 24?), etc; The cables 56and56 are extended out around the sheaves on the ends of that rail at the sidecorresponding t'othe' direction in which it is desired to move theunit. These cablesmay be dead ended at the ends of the groundsills, asillustrated in Fig. 2 or may be connected to any other fixed points of anchorage. Mo'reover, if greater, mechanical advantage is desired :the cables may-be reeved around bothxsheaves of the blocks 62 and around one or more sheaves in sheave blocks connected to the fixed points of anchorage. The opposite ends of the rails may be shifted separatelywitha zig zag motionacross theground sills by first winding;

ends of the rails.

inroironecable and then winding inon the other; .orboth ends can be moved. simultaneously by winding in on both cables simultan'eously- I 7 Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate other methods or steps in moving the structure to diagonal ositions-or laterally across; the ground sills. or example, if it is desired to move the left hand ends of the rails in. the direction of the arrow at (Fig. 10) to a diagonal position, the cables56 and 56' are reeved as shownanda chock block or stationary abutment 71. may, ifdesire'd, be arranged to bear the. reaction pressure at oneend of one of the" rails. Simultaneous winding in of both cableso'auses the rail 23 to be projected to the rightand'causes the rail 23 to be projected to the left. In both cases the rails slide under the bed and across the ground sills 24a:24c. A certain amount of friction is always inherent in such movement of the railsjonthe ground sills, and when the two rails are projected in opposite directions in this manner, since the rails are a finite distance apart and since the force required to shift the rails is acouple acting against thethe other endsof the rails receive the entire rotative force for swinging in the opposite direction. By appropriately reeving the cables and locating the chock block the struc' ture may be swung in either direction. Fig.-

11, for example illustrates a position into which the structure may have been swung when rigged as shown in Fig. 10, but shows the cables through the diagonally opposite sheaves and with the chock block at the other 7 When tension is now eX- erted on the cables the rail 23 will be projected to the left under the bed, and the rail 23 will be projected to the right under the bed, substantially in a reversal of the direc tions of motion described ofFigure 10, whereby the right hand ends of the rails will swingin the direction of the arrow (Z in Fig-.11. From any of the diagonal positions to;'which the structure may be moved, as above. described, the rails and bed can then be slid endwise in accordance with the method described of Fig. 8 so thatthe structure can be moved into corners or other cramped lo- 6; cations-on the site along lines diagonal to the previous lines of movement of the structure.

Moreover, if desired, by alternately reversing the cable connections and the locationof the chock block 71 the bed and rails can b'e walked sidewise across the ground sills 24a-24c with a zig-zag motion. It will be noted that in'all of these operations described of Figs. 10', and ll the forces are self-containedin the structure, i. e.'there is no necessityof extending one of the cables to a stationary point of anchorage outside of the structure. I Q

'Attention is directed to thefact that by extending the cables down through the -plat-'- form and bed to the swiveling sheaves 49 the line of pull effective on the structure is at a very low point of the bed so that a very large force can be exerted through either cable without tipping the; structure;- Moreover, such arrangement results in there being practically notendency' to rotate the platform on-the bed notwithstanding a large tension setup in the cable or cables. Of course the shifting operations may be performed from tackle connectionsreeved through pulleys mounted on the rotatable platform, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the conventional mechanism for rotating the platform on the; bed having the capability oflocking the platform againstsuch rotation, but theconstruc tion shown-in igs'.5and 6 has the advantage of substantially eliminating this rota-' tive tendency. Furthermore, the latter arrangement may remainaeeved at all'times in the us'eof the apparatus,the rotation of the platform interfering in no way" with the tackle connections.

While I have shown what'l regard to be the preferred manner of practicing my invention it will be understood that such is merely exemplary and that other practices and constructions may be adopted with in the broader aspectsof the invention.

I claim:

1. In'a pile driver ofthe' class described, thecombination of a bed, a platform, a pivot connection between said bed and-said platform permitting horizontal rotative movement of said platform on said bed, a derrick, rising from said platform, cable winding means on said'pla'tform, a pair of rails ma terially longer than said bed and along which the bed is adapted to move, guide means-for guiding relative movement between said rails and said bed in a direction longitudinally of the rails, said guide means positively'preventing tilting of said bedreL' ative to said rails, a plurality of skid timbers adapted to be supported on the ground, said pair of rails having slidable mounting on said'timbers to be skidded endwise and sidewise thereon a cable adapted to be extended from said winding means to a point of .anchoragefor effecting movement of ,saidbed on said'rails or movemnet of said rails on said skid timbers, said rails having free slid--" ing mounting on said skid timbers so as to enable them to be skidded in any direction, endwise or sidewise, on said timbers, and said rails being capable of motion independently of each other in their endwise sliding movement, said platform having an opening, therein in proximity to said pivotal connection for permitting said cable to be passed from said winding means down through said opening to the lower portion of the pile driver, and a pulley mounted on the lower portion of the pile driver substantially in line with said opening and havin a horizontal swivelling movement for guiding the cable substantially horizontally to diiferent points of anchorage.

2. In pile driving apparatus, a pile driver having a bed, a plurality of ground sills disposed in spaced relation on the ground, a pair of independently movable rails slidably supported on said sills for movement in a plurality of directions, said pile driver bed being movably carried upon said rails, means carried by the pile driver for shifting said rails and pile driver carried thereby bodily across said ground sills, and means carried by the pile driver for shifting the rails relative to the ground sills and to the pile driver, when the latter is held stationary with the weight of the pile driver imposed upon the rails.

3. In a pile driver movably mounted on a pair of spaced apart rails materially longer than said pile driver and supported on ground sills, the method of bodily maneuvering said pile driver and rails over the ground sills, which comprises shifting the rails longitudinally in opposite directions relative to the pile driver and the ground sills while the weight of the latter is imposed on said rails, thereby establishing a reaction couple acting to displace the pile driver and rails as a unit angularly on said ground sills.

4. The method of maneuvering a pile driver mounted for endwise movement on two substantially parallel rails, said rails being mounted for both endwise and sidewise movement on ground sills, which method comprises extending a cable from power means on the pile driver to one end of one of the rails and connecting said end therewith, extending a second cable from said power means to the opposite end of the other rail and connecting the end of said second cable therewith, establishing a point of anchorage for one end of said rails to prevent sidewise movement thereof along the sills in one direction, and creating tension in said cables to project at least one of said rails across said ground sills, the resultant friction serving to establish oppositely acting reaction forces in said rails, thereby creating a reaction couple effective to shift said pile driver and rails sidewise about said point of anchorage as a center.

5. The method of maneuvering a pile driver mounted for endwise sliding movement on two substantially parallel rails, said rails being mounted for both endwise and sidewise movement on ground sills, which method comprises extending a cable from power means on the pile driver bed to one of said rails and connecting said cable there with in such a manner that tension in the cable will tend to shift the rail under the pile driver, anchoring the pile driver bed against movement relatively to said ground sills, creating tension in said cable to cause said latter rail to be shifted endwise across said ground sills and under said bed, and performing these same operations on the other rail, then removing the anchoring for the bed and shifting the bed relative to both the rails and ground sills to bring the pile driver to a different position relative to the ground sills.

6. In a pile driver of the class described, the combination of a pile driver bed, a platform mounted thereon, cable winding means on said platform, a pair of independently movable rails along which said bed is adapted to move, guide means for guiding relative movement between said rails and said bed in a direction longitudinally of the rails, ground supporting sills on which said rails are supported for endwise and sidewise movement, said rails having free sliding mounting on said sills so as to enable them to be skidded in any direction, endwise or sidewise, on said sills, a cable adapted to be extended from said winding means to one end of one of the rails and connected therewith so as to shift the same in one direction relative to the bed and ground sills when tension is created in the cable, means establishing a point of anchorage for one end of said rails to prevent sidewise movement thereof along the sills, and a second cable adapted to be extended from said Winding means to the opposite end of the other rail so as to shift the same in the opposite direction relative to the bed and ground sills, the friction due to the weight of the pile driver and the rails on the ground sills establishing a reaction couple when the rails are shifted in opposite directions acting to shift the pile driver and rails angularly on the ground sills about said anchorage means as a center.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of November, 1929.

JOSEPH H. THORNLEY. 

